Preparing the modern warehouse for modern weather

Wherever you are in the world, you’re likely experiencing some sort of weather patterns that are different from what you’re used to. Daily headlines tell the story; more frequent and powerful storms, high winds, tornadoes, flooding and more. So when it comes to the warehouses that store your stock, have you thought about how they plan for weather-related risks from modern weather?

Don’t worry. We have.

Design with purpose

With 75 years of storage leadership in our DNA, we’ve gotten really good at designing buildings and building infrastructures that take wild weather and potential disaster conditions into consideration. Here’s a snapshot of what we do to protect what you store with us:

Earthquakes

Our rack designs are set up to handle the highest level of seismic activity. We use slotted connections which allow the rack to move in the event of an earthquake without collapsing. We ensure that our racking systems are not adjacent to the steel of the building. And we’ve got gas shutoff valves that automatically turn off gas lines when there’s a seismic event.

Fires

With FM Global as our partner, every building’s fire management system is designed to a higher level than NFPA, state and local codes. Every rack configuration is customized based on what’s being stored, with flue space considerations and strategically-placed sprinklers that are right sized for specific commodities, and in the right position to deploy as they’re needed. Our early warning air aspirating systems (i.e.: VESDA) are 100 times more effective at detecting smoke than a spot detector. And when a smart air aspirating system gets installed in our buildings, they are continuously reviewed and adjusted to ensure their reliability.

Hurricanes

As weather patterns change and storms and hurricanes get stronger, we work with the experts at FM Global to understand and mitigate the impact of those storms on our buildings. Our facilities are designed to be hurricane-proof to FM Global standards which are a higher level of standard than state/local building codes. We continue to make upgrades to fastening systems and our roof & wall systems are designed to withstand greater impact than most extreme storms deliver.

Flooding

Flood plain information is always changing based on weather patterns and other environmental factors. Once again, we work closely with FM Global to ensure we understand where our buildings sit relative to 100-500 year floodplains. All of our buildings are intentionally above the 100 year floodplain in any given region.

Disaster Recovery

Even with the best planning, systems and infrastructure, nothing is foolproof. So we’ve got specialists who think about what could go wrong, make plans to address what could go wrong, and take action if anything does go wrong. Every Iron Mountain facility has a comprehensive disaster recovery plan which is reviewed on an annual basis by our risk team. Ongoing on-the-ground training takes place to address potential disaster scenarios. And we’re fully prepared to address both the short-term and long-term needs if and when disasters happen.

Iron Mountain has been protecting our customers’ assets and providing backups of mission-critical data for decades. Our ability to not just respond to issues, but remain a steadfast partner through resolution, is how we keep the Fortune 1000 ready for business. Mitigating modern weather takes thought and investment. And is just one more reason why Iron Mountain’s modern 3PL warehouses are a smart choice to store, protect and deliver your goods.

Want a tour or ready to learn more? Get in touch with us here  - and let’s get you modernized.